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After a year since our last car died, we're now in the process of purchasing a vehicle. Please pray for wisdom to make the right choice, and we should be able to show off our new vehicle soon!

12 DAYS IN THE HOSPITAL & BEYOND

On Sunday, April 10th, we woke up by something crashing down and immediatly noticed the black fumes under the ceiling, only to discover our living room in flames. Even though we spent a mere seconds in midst of the blazing fire, we had second and third degree burns on arms, backs and head. After shouting out of our barred window for what seemed a long time, some our kids took rocks and pulled out the iron bars so we could escape.

We waited for someone to go to the main road and get us a taxi, and only then could we finally make our way to the only clinic I would go myself. There was only a skeleton crew there on a Sunday, and so they just bandaged us and put us into a room.

The first few days were pretty bad as they had no experience with burns, made mistakes that caused us more severe burns and probably scarring for life, as well as unnecessary pain. On the fourth day we finally saw a tangible shift, and everything started going uphill from there. A Western missionary doctor came to see us and help us, and I started exchanging emails with another missionary doctor friend who has a lot of experience with burns and who gave us invaluale advice - that we were thankful to see the hospital staff follow to the best of their ability. Also, the Western-trained doctor who founded and owns the clinic agreed to have the one good nurse who had been taking care of us be the only one to change our bandages every day - even if that meant he had to come into the hospital on his day off. Thank God! That was such a big relief to me, as the other nurses just ripped bandages off with no concern as for the pain they were causing.

We really got to know that nurse Lassine whose wife was expecting her first baby any time, and felt that it was a relationship God had set up for longterm. Lassine expressed his desire to come help us with medical issues with our kids any time it was needed. And we prayed for him regularly regarding his baby's birth which was overdue. He even let us pray for him right there in the room! Two weeks after we got out of the hospital, 7 days after his baby's birth, he had a name-giving ceremony we got invited to. It was great seeing him again, and we expect to see him visit us on our base in the near future.

About a week into our hospital stay we got off the IV - not without having caused issues for both Randy and I - and after that we were pretty much left to ourselves all day except for the bandage change. We had a few visitors, some missionary friends, as well as Paul coming by nearly every day and keeping us comprised of what was going on at home where he was working hard on getting our house repaired.

As our release was approaching, the big question was where to go. Our home was not ready. We needed a clean and a cool place to go to, so somewhere with an air-conditioner as it was the hottest time of year. Missionary friends of ours offered to have us in their home, and we were very thankful to have great fellowship, air-conditioning when the power wasn't out, and not having to worry about preparing meals. We stayed at their home for 3 weeks; what a huge blessing they were to us!

Last weekend, five weeks after the fire, we returned to our home after our bedroom was painted and dried. So now we live out of our bedroom while the rest of the house gets painted, renovated and repaired, and eat Malian meals and bread until our kitchen is operational again. My bed is my office, having no access to paper right now, while Randy is out and about doing physical work most of the time.

Claudia (left) and Randy (right) May 11, a month after the fire.

Click here to read the detailed report of what happened that April Sunday morning and of our first six days in the clinic. Follow us on Facebook to stay in touch with what's going on with us.

HOUSE RENOVATIONS

Even while we were at the hospital, Paul worked hard to get everything repaired so we could return as soon as possible. Who knew it would take 5 weeks for it to be at that point! Electricians, plumbers, masons, tile-layers, painters and more were needed to do their jobs. Now we even have a breaker box and smoke detectors! (Something that could have prevented the fire.) Our boys also helped when they were not at school. A week after our release from the clinic, we went home for the first time to assess the situation.

Honestly, I knew it was bad, but I was unprepared for how bad the rest of the house was that had not been directily touched by the fire. Everything was black, to the farthest corner of the house! All the walls, every object! Within minutes I was black myself, especially after touching my surviving kitty who was so very happy to see me. Not only was I shocked by everything being black, but also by the extent of destruction that had occurred AFTER the fire. My office was a mess, and so was our bedroom.

It was time to get to work. We started packing up all our stuff and emptying out first our bedroom and storage room. Randy had borrowed a power-washer, and he went room by room washing all the walls. A lot of soot came off, but it sure was still pretty black after!

Packing up the house was a major undertaking, and we've been moving stuff around as needed, emptying out rooms to be painted, and then moving stuff in to empty out other rooms. As I write this they are painting the very last room of this house. Now what's left is the bars on our windows. Then it's time to move the remaining furniture in its place, unpack everything, clean it and put it in its spot. We have already giving a job to the carpenter to make furniture, and we're hoping to buy a nice couch set at a store that has imported furniture. Wood and furniture is not cheap in Mali, but we trust that everything that needs to be done will be done.

I moved into this third building on our base over 4 years ago when Paul got married and we needed the space. The house had never been finished - never painted, and was still waiting for the solar hot water heater on the roof (it's now installed). After getting married, Randy started painting the house and had done two rooms before the fire occurred. In light of all the damage, we knew it was time to get the house finished. We are believing for GREATER THAN BEFORE, more beautiful than before, kingdom restoration that always leads to more glory than before!

Yes, I lost hundreds, maybe thousands of DVDs and books in the fire that I will never be able to all replace. But we came out alive, and will go on to new heights because God always makes something greater and more glorious out of the enemy's attacks against us. Already we're in a house more beautiful than before, and I cannot wait to see what it will look like in the end.

All this would not have been possible without YOU, all our friends and supporters who overwhelmed us with their love and prayers and giving. We were touched over and over again by everyone's generosity which is the only reason we have been able to repair and renovate and restore as we have been without having to worry about funds. Thank you so much to all of you! May God bless you abundantly in return!

CLICK HERE FOR ALL THE PICTURES,
INCLUDING THE LATEST

CENTER IMPROVEMENTS

We decided to not do things just half-way but to go all in and do the renovations that had already been planned for the near future. So the painters also repainted our other two buildings, and painted our gates and property walls for the first time, making our base look really beautiful and closer to looking like the oasis we are called to be. We're still looking for a gardener to plant some palm trees and flowers along the wall.

We've also installed a much-needed bathroom and shower inside our dining hall where the street children sleep every night, eliminating their need to leave the building at night and roam around our base.

Left: Dining hall & guest apartment. Middle: Kids' dorms and living room. Right: Our house.

QUICK NEWS

•        Our Health - Our second degree burns have pretty much healed. However, where they cut open blisters and removed skin we now have third degree burns, and they have hardly changed in their deep red color in a while. We continue changing bandages and putting burn creme on every day, and will have to do so for a while. Thankfully we don't have pain any more.

•        Our Neighbors - Not long after the fire Paul went door to door in our neighborhood and thanked our neighbors for coming to help with the fire. In the past, many of our neighbors were hostile towards us. To Paul's amazement everyone was touched he'd come by and thank them, and even those hostile before suddenly wanted to know what exactly we're doing and seemed to now be on our side. Praise God!

•        Paul - Our Malian leader has been working really hard and overtime to take care of the repair work and everything else. Please pray for him, his health, his strength, his marriage. He wants to take a few days off after our house is finished, and he very much deserves it.

•        Government Papers - We also lost receipts and other important papers in the fire, but the most important one is the government paper for our church that shows we're a legal Malian association. It was a miracle that we finally got those papers last year after many years of trying, and unfortunately, you can't just go and get another copy. Please pray for favor that we could get that paper again without too much hassle and too many costs involved.

•        Elementary School - We're still planning on starting our elementary school in July, and once our house is back together, we can start preparing for that. Please pray for us.

•        Rokia Pregnant - Paul's wife Rokia is pregnant again, just a short time after her miscarriage. Please pray for her.

•        Professional Guard - Right after the fire we hired a professional night guard which Paul and I had wanted to do for a while, who now guards us together with our ex-street kid night guard who's been with us for a while. The security company was founded by an American lady who lives here, and she's been really concerned for us. Had we had a guard then, he would have spotted the fire early.

•        New Kitty - Our girl's brother died in the fire, leaving her traumatized and alone. A week ago we got a little kitty who she has now adopted as her child and won't let out of her sight. We're glad our cat is not alone any more. More restoration!

•        July - Randy's youngest daughter is getting married in July, and Randy is going to be in the US for that occasion for over two weeks, while I teach in our new school. It will be our first time apart.

•        Sept/Oct - We have started working on our Europe and US schedule for this fall. We're still looking for churches in Austria, France and Switzerland who are interested in having us come minister. Please pray for connections and open doors, and let us know if you'd like us to come to your church or group. Look to the left to see what is scheduled so far.

•        Monthly Donors - We're praying that God would put it on people's hearts to support us on a monthly basis so that we have more than the current 41% of our budget met.

•       Summer Volunteers - Our children are out of school for four months, June through September. We're looking for volunteers to come during that time to watch and play and spend time with our children. No language skills needed, but French skills are helpful.

Do not fear, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and when you pass through the rivers, they will not sweep over you. When you walk through the fire, you will not be burned; the flames will not set you ablaze.(Isa 43:1b-2)

Trusting HIM ,

Claudia (& Randy)